Convalescence
by WindyHaven
Summary: Everyone deserved to have a gift when they weren't feeling at their best.     Luffy/Zoro Nakama-ship


_A/N: One Piece so not mine. I couldn't have thought of the brilliance of such things as "nipple lights" had I tried XD _

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><p>Being as accustomed to injury as he was, or at least as accustomed as one could be to such, Luffy had come to visit many an infirmary. Now, it did not matter whether it was Chopper's in the Thousand Sunny, or that of whatever island he and his crew were wreaking havoc on. What was of matter was the fact that they all bore something in common. And Luffy wasn't talking about the stiff, scratchy sheets or the nose-crinkling stench of disinfectant either. This singular similarity that the straw-hat wearing captain took notice of was that of the absence of flowers.<p>

It wasn't as if Luffy had a particular fondness for flowers. Sure, they looked well and good enough, but a person wasn't supposed to go around eating most of them. Which was truly something of a pity, but that was beside the point. When Luffy would glance around the medical facilities, he would note that many of the other occupants –sans his crewmates- all had some sort of well-wished gift upon their nightstand. This glancing was of course done after he made sure all of his crew was there and breathing (and to see if there was anything to eat lying around, which there usually wasn't just yet, unfortunately). In turn, theses observations would lead Luffy to a brief recollection of that one time Makino brought him flowers when he was sick, though he'd promptly said they were for girls and gotten a good thwack to the skull from his grandfather. And deep down, despite the fact that flowers were for girls and thus had cooties or whatever it was, Luffy had been altogether pretty happy to get something as a gift while he wasn't feeling well.

It was only logical Luffy would want to spread that warm, fuzzy feeling to someone he cared about. Zoro, being injured as often was he was, was soon deemed the most logical choice. Not that Luffy really thought about it in a logical sense, but it came down to a certain probability and well, he wasn't going to get into it. Such things made his head hurt, and then he would get sick, and then _no one_ would get their flowers.

Sure as rain, after their last grand escapade, Zoro endured life threatening blood loss and other such maladies that led Chopper to frequent and perhaps unnecessary stress. Luffy, being as careless in his own regard as he always is, was injured as well. Fortunately, once given enough meat, he bounced back like the rubber he was currently made of. Zoro, on the other hand, while awake, was still relegated to the infirmary bed. At the moment, he was wrapped in enough bandages to put those mummies in Robin's books to shame. Not that Luffy actually read her books; he just happened to enjoy looking at the funny pictures on horrendously dull rainy days. But the swordsman's humorous appearance would have to wait, for, Luffy had gift giving to accomplish.

The first dilemma was determining just what type of flower Zoro would actually appreciate getting. As Luffy stared down at Robin's flower garden with interest, he mentally ticked off which ones looked too prissy for someone like his first mate. Deeming them all too effeminate for the older male, he turned on his heel and marched off, lower lip jutted out in a subtle pout. Unwittingly, the young pirate had spared his own life that day. Robin's deadly gaze went back to her book when she was sure Luffy wasn't going to go digging through her flowers today.

So perhaps Zoro wasn't the type for flowers. While that made sense, it made things that much more difficult. Luffy was somewhat worried for his own health. He couldn't take too much more of this complex thought.

Well, he could try and get Zoro sake, which he knew the swordsman had an abnormal fondness for. Not that he was really one to judge, with his love of meat, but he was the captain. He was entitled to judge if he wanted to, obviously.

Regrettably, Luffy's attempt at breaking into the alcohol resulted in a rather painful beating by Sanji. How was Luffy supposed to know the difference between fine wine and sake? Either way, he didn't get the alcohol, so that option was off of the figurative list as well.

Rather put out, the captain sets his rump to the top of his "Special Seat", legs folded and chin leaning into a hand. Well this wouldn't do at all. Zoro still looked like a mummy, and Luffy still had yet to figure out the perfect gift to assist his swordsman along in his recovery.

"Shitty marimo…getting hurt…making everyone worry…bastard…"

Snapped out of his painful haze of contemplation, Luffy glances back over his shoulder just in time to see Sanji stalk by, cigarette ground between his teeth and hands shoved into the depths of his pockets. The younger pirate tilts his head to the side in an inquisitive manner, saying nothing until he beams and launches himself off of his seat and into an unwitting cook.

The kicks were worth it, if he didn't have to think too much anymore.

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><p>Zoro was snapped out of a pain-induced unconsciousness ("Real men don't need morphine, damn it!") when the door to the infirmary was almost kicked off of its hinges. Rather blearily, he opens one eye to scowl at his rather euphoric looking captain. Luffy does not seem all too bothered by the fact he is being less than courteous to his injured crewmate when he flops unceremoniously onto the infirmary bed and shoves a poorly wrapped package into Zoro's face. Upon further examination, Zoro finds that his gift of sorts in something in a cylinder, and that Luffy hits him atop of the head if he makes to shake it.<p>

"Open it! Go on, Zoro!" Luffy crows, bouncing up and down on the bed. Zoro, in response, snorts and does as bid.

"I'm going, I'm going. Keep your pants on."

The swordsman gives Luffy a look that stops the impending inquiry about what exactly this would have to do with Luffy's bottoms. Brown paper tears away from the cylinder until the gift is revealed in all of its green, fuzzy glory.

"It's a-"

"Marimo."

Zoro scowls, ready to sharply reprimand the younger male, when he sees the look of utter joy and innocence on his features. It was meant in good will then…

"Ah, thanks, I guess. Why a…you know?" Zoro questions awkwardly, holding up the jar to stare at the floating ball of algae. Luffy rocks back and forth on his bottom, seeming to ponder just where he should begin before he does just that.

"Well, I was originally going to get you flowers, so you'd feel better. But none of them were manly enough. So then I left and wanted to get you some sake, but Sanji was mean and wouldn't let me. Said something about how he's been worried ever since that one time we-"

Zoro rolls his eyes, waving a hand for his captain to get to the point.

"I know, I know. Why the moss?"

Luffy starts, just a bit before resuming his tale,

"Oh, well, I heard Sanji cussing you out, and that gave me this idea. So I guess it's Sanji's idea too, even if he doesn't know it…"

Zoro would rather not think about the shitty cook giving him presents.

"Do you like it, Zoro?"

The swordsman blinks, looking up before he allows a quirking of the lips to express his gratitude.

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><p>"Is that a marimo on your night stan-"<p>

"Shut the hell up, dartboard!"


End file.
